Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) comprises a diverse family of lipolytic enzymes which hydrolyzes the sn-2 fatty acid ester bond of glycerophospholipids to produce free fatty acids and lysophspholipids. Low molecular-weight (13—18-kDa) secretory PLA2s (sPLA2s) have several common characteristics including the presence of six to eight disulfide bridges and are classified into 10 different groups. To date...

One of the major issues banks are faced with in providing Internet Banking (IB) services is the adoption of these services by the customers. This study seeks answer to the question that whether bank customers’ awareness of the services and advantages of IB is effective in reducing the negative effect of customers’ perceived risk on their intention of IB adoption. To this end, the two constructs...

The aac(6')-Ib gene is the most prevalent gene that encodes aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes and confers resistance to tobramycin, kanamycin, and amikacin. The aac(6')-Ib-cr variant gene can induce resistance against aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone simultaneously. Two main methods, sequence analysis and the restriction enzyme method, can detect the aac(6')-Ib-cr variant in clinical strains. ...

The detection of autoantibodies to epidermal or basement membrane zone proteins by immunoblot (IB) is useful for the diagnosis and the classification of autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBD). IB using human skin extracts is actually the reference method but A431 cell line is proposed as easier alternate antigen source. We explored the performances of “A431 IB” in comparison with the reference tech...

BACKGROUND In our previous study, we detected decreased expression of phospho-Smad1/5/8 and its upstream signaling molecule, bone morphogenetic protein receptor IB subunit (BMPR-IB), in certain glioblastoma tissues, unlike normal brain tissues. In order to clarify the functional roles and mechanism of BMPR-IB in the development of glioblastoma, we studied the effects of BMPR-IB overexpression o...

BACKGROUND Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations occur in about 50% of Asian patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with advanced NSCLC and EGFR mutations derive clinical benefit from treatment with EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). This study assessed the efficacy and safety of adjuvant icotinib without chemotherapy in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients undergoin...

OBJECTIVE To study the specific importance of mediastinal staging in women with nonsmall cell lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between July 1981 and September 2003 we surgically staged 2172 patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer who met the inclusion criteria for resectability and operability. A subgroup of 108 women was studied. Cervical mediastinoscopy was performed in all cases, with the...